Our race to the bottom continues with Oakland, 4/23-26

[darrylgann]

#Rangers prospect Edgar Arredondo struck out 12 batters with no walks in nine dominant innings for @GoWoodDucks. BOX: atmilb.com/2JuA8rj

 

[BULLPEN FAILURE]

Here is a little off-day discussion topic:

Player A - 6.86 ERA, 0-2 in 4 starts, 19.2 IP, 21 H, 11 BB, 21 K, -0.3 WAR, 2 HBP, 1 Balk
Player B - 4.98 ERA, 0-3 in 4 starts, 21.2 IP, 16 H, 7 BB, 22 K, -0.2 WAR, 0 HBP, 0 Balk

Player A is Yu Darvish. Player B is Derek Holland.

 

[DT LUNA]

Here is a little off-day discussion topic:

Player A - 6.86 ERA, 0-2 in 4 starts, 19.2 IP, 21 H, 11 BB, 21 K, -0.3 WAR, 2 HBP, 1 Balk
Player B - 4.98 ERA, 0-3 in 4 starts, 21.2 IP, 16 H, 7 BB, 22 K, -0.2 WAR, 0 HBP, 0 Balk

Player A is Yu Darvish. Player B is Derek Holland.

You know what Wash would say.

 

[donaldson79]

How Shin-Soo Choo's veteran leadership is making a difference
The game ended long ago. Another Rangers loss. Most players have dressed and headed home. It was a long day, the game being delayed by 90 minutes due to rain, and it will be a short night with a day game tomorrow. About the best thing that could be said of the night was at least nobody got hurt.

In two separate corners of the Rangers clubhouse, though, work is still being done.

In the same corner where Michael Young used to hold nightly baseball talks with a young Ian Kinsler and then a young Mitch Moreland, Shin-Soo Choo has gathered young Nomar Mazara and Rougned Odor for a conversation. Over by the exit, Elvis Andrus is having a loud one-sided conversation with young Ronald Guzman about hitting. Almost the same way that Young used to talk to Andrus about the art, only Young was quieter. Of course, everybody is quieter than Andrus.

Choo is only following what he learned from guys like Jim Thome and Travis Hafner when he was a young player in Cleveland. Andrus is following the lead of Young, who followed the lead of Rusty Greer, who followed the lead of Will Clark. Last week, he had a conversation with Guzman about a late-inning pinch-hit approach.

If this Rangers season is already lost – and, by all accounts, it is – the single most-important task the rest of the way is the development of young players. It takes a village to raise up young players. Most important is the player’s own talent. Instruction is important, too. But the advice, counsel and, for lack of a better word (because I don’t have the best words), empathy of a veteran is also essential.

Choo gets this, even though some of these players may take his job. In some ways, Mazara, who has supplanted him in right field and pushed Choo to DH, already has.

“These guys are going to have long careers,” Choo said. “I talked go veteran players when I was younger. It’s what I did. It’s how I learned. Guys like Hafner, Thome, Victor Martinez. They loved to talk about baseball, about situations, about things that happened, about how you deal with those things every day. I’m just trying to make them feel comfortable playing the game.”

Choo, who turns 36 in July, is in his fifth season with the Rangers. Almost from the day he signed, his seven-year, $140 million contract has been derided as a gross overpayment. His value has been diminished by moving to DH. He has gotten on-base at an above-average rate but his .357 OBP in his first four years with the Rangers is well below the .391 mark he had in the previous four years. His OPS is down 60 points over the same time. It would be easy for Choo to get wrapped up in himself.

He does not.

“He is a quality leader inside that clubhouse,” manager Jeff Banister said. “He has a great grasp of what it means to give back to younger players. The greatest asset I have is veteran guys who have been in this atmosphere who know how to handle these types of situations. Experience over going through the experience is invaluable.

“He did it last year,” Banister added on Choo. “He did it the year before, too. When I first got here, before we even went to spring training, he and Robinson Chirinos and I talked about this, about leadership qualities, mentorship and the legacy you leave and how you is how you help younger players.”

Someday, probably not this year, it will make a difference for the Rangers. Someday, Joey Gallo or Nomar Mazara will embrace the generation that comes behind them.

And when they do, it should not be forgotten in this lost season that guys like Choo didn’t lose sight of their duty.

 

[BULLPEN FAILURE]

Even more impressive:

Player C - 2.59 ERA, 0-0 in 3 starts (5 games), 24.1 IP, 18 H, 3 BB, 19 K, 1.0 WAR, 0 HBP, 0 Balk

Player C is Bartolo Colon.

 

[saddles]

How Shin-Soo Choo's veteran leadership is making a difference
The game ended long ago. Another Rangers loss. Most players have dressed and headed home. It was a long day, the game being delayed by 90 minutes due to rain, and it will be a short night with a day game tomorrow. About the best thing that could be said of the night was at least nobody got hurt.

In two separate corners of the Rangers clubhouse, though, work is still being done.

In the same corner where Michael Young used to hold nightly baseball talks with a young Ian Kinsler and then a young Mitch Moreland, Shin-Soo Choo has gathered young Nomar Mazara and Rougned Odor for a conversation. Over by the exit, Elvis Andrus is having a loud one-sided conversation with young Ronald Guzman about hitting. Almost the same way that Young used to talk to Andrus about the art, only Young was quieter. Of course, everybody is quieter than Andrus.

Choo is only following what he learned from guys like Jim Thome and Travis Hafner when he was a young player in Cleveland. Andrus is following the lead of Young, who followed the lead of Rusty Greer, who followed the lead of Will Clark. Last week, he had a conversation with Guzman about a late-inning pinch-hit approach.

If this Rangers season is already lost – and, by all accounts, it is – the single most-important task the rest of the way is the development of young players. It takes a village to raise up young players. Most important is the player’s own talent. Instruction is important, too. But the advice, counsel and, for lack of a better word (because I don’t have the best words), empathy of a veteran is also essential.

Choo gets this, even though some of these players may take his job. In some ways, Mazara, who has supplanted him in right field and pushed Choo to DH, already has.

“These guys are going to have long careers,” Choo said. “I talked go veteran players when I was younger. It’s what I did. It’s how I learned. Guys like Hafner, Thome, Victor Martinez. They loved to talk about baseball, about situations, about things that happened, about how you deal with those things every day. I’m just trying to make them feel comfortable playing the game.”

Choo, who turns 36 in July, is in his fifth season with the Rangers. Almost from the day he signed, his seven-year, $140 million contract has been derided as a gross overpayment. His value has been diminished by moving to DH. He has gotten on-base at an above-average rate but his .357 OBP in his first four years with the Rangers is well below the .391 mark he had in the previous four years. His OPS is down 60 points over the same time. It would be easy for Choo to get wrapped up in himself.

He does not.

“He is a quality leader inside that clubhouse,” manager Jeff Banister said. “He has a great grasp of what it means to give back to younger players. The greatest asset I have is veteran guys who have been in this atmosphere who know how to handle these types of situations. Experience over going through the experience is invaluable.

“He did it last year,” Banister added on Choo. “He did it the year before, too. When I first got here, before we even went to spring training, he and Robinson Chirinos and I talked about this, about leadership qualities, mentorship and the legacy you leave and how you is how you help younger players.”

Someday, probably not this year, it will make a difference for the Rangers. Someday, Joey Gallo or Nomar Mazara will embrace the generation that comes behind them.

And when they do, it should not be forgotten in this lost season that guys like Choo didn’t lose sight of their duty.

I am sorry, but I can't help but imagining him showing the younger players how to offer Banister their glove if Banny ever says anything to them about their fielding. lol

 

[scotsman1948]

In all seriousness. He looks like a young, AA player who got pressed into a situation due to injuries. But less than half that story applies to him.

and that's where he should be. bring up Ibanez and see what he can do

 

[saddles]

and that's where he should be. bring up Ibanez and see what he can do

Ibanez has regressed as a hitter since 2016. He has never hit very well above low A ball and he is 25 years-old. He is also a poor fielding second baseman. Robinson would look like an All Star in comparison I am afraid.

 

[scotsman1948]

Ibanez has regressed as a hitter since 2016. He has never hit very well above low A ball and he is 25 years-old. He is also a poor fielding second baseman. Robinson would look like an All Star in comparison I am afraid.

maybe you're right but anything would be better than Robinson

 

[saddles]

New thread is up.

 

[saddles]

maybe you're right but anything would be better than Robinson

Yes, his name is Ryan Rua.

 

[scotsman1948]

Yes, his name is Ryan Rua.

Rua .178

Robinson .167

so technically you are correct